National Republican., 1887-08-10

lne report On Tue expenditures VI tut
water department, mode by Capt. Symons,
was made public yesterday, accompanied by
the following statement from the commits
eioners:
In giving out the report Of the official
head Of tho water department for the infor-
nation OF the public, the commissioners
desire not only to emphasize, as forcibly as
may be, the corrections OF the baseless
charges that have ben published against
the conduct Of the water service under the
present form OF government, but to formu-
late for the serious consideration OF the
citizens Of the District and of the country
at large, who have 30 direct aud keen an
inter, at In all matters relating to the admin
istrat'on Of public affairs at the federal seat
Of government, certain views OF the gravest
import tothe present and future OF the Dis
trict.
In the first place 1t is evident that the
charges OF malfeasance, so recklessly uttered
to the world and purporting to be derived
from official data, are in reality based upon
mere jugglery with figures, by which one
item Of expenditure is made to bear the
burden of..many items, and the public mind,
unacquainted with the actual facts, is dis
turbed and agitated by vehement allegations
Of fraud and robbery which have no exist
epce whatsoever save 10 the fertile imagina-
tion Of the inscriptions and irresponsible
inventors. Not merely the completely OF
numerous District officials of high and low
degree would be needful at the present day
to accomplish the misappropriation Of pub
lie funds, but that OF the accounting officers
Of the federal treasury as well, and the
mere fact that under the system established
when the present form Of government was
inaugurated, the water department neither
receives nor disbursee any Of the funds col
al @ q
elusive as to the impracticability OF robbery,
even were temptation offered.
But the authors, avowed and secret, OF
these calumnfes, are In no wise deferred
by such obvious considerations. On the
contrary, ignoring even the fact that the
present incumbents have been in Office lit
tie more than single year, and cannot
therefore be held responsible for past dere-
lictione, did such exist, the effort Is boldly
made to fasten malfeasance upon them, and
even the dead bones Of a former associate
aud friend Of the calumniators, who for
ten years has lain In forgotten aud dis
honored grave, are resurrected and shame
lessly dsDgled in The light of day for the
further confusion OF the public mind.
Without seeking for the hidden sources
of the inspiration of these acts, 1t is evident
that In some sense a conspiracy exists
against the good name and fame OF the Dis
tfict, and It may well be asked what man
FER Of citizens can those be who are en-.
gagged In 1t, and what should be the weight
Of public condemnation that shall rest upon
them, even though the technical proof be
wanting that would convict them legally
Of their guilt. But their efforts, II con-
fined to the limits o. the District, would
fial Of their effect.
The Congress Of the United States is the
legislature Of the District, and the mind of
Congress, tco, must be reached, and this
the more easily that the individual members
are widely scattered and removed from
opportunity of personal ascertainment of
the facts.
The commissioners desire the serious at.
tention Of the public to the possible far
reaching consequences, II the agitators suc-
ceed. But ore result is possible, viz, an
endangering Of the present form OF govern
ment, which has endured now for decade
and has guided and aided the material In
terests OF the District in that marvellous
progress they have made during that
period. 1t is not proposed to enter now
upon the discussion Of this subject, and the
object Of the commissioners at this time ia
only to call the attention Of the citizens of
the District to the impending danger, and
call upon the local press In the interest of
the public veal to see to It that District az.
fairs are no longer permitted to be misrep-
resented to the world.
II appears to the commissioners that the
press In this regard has a grave duty and
responsibility to meet, and that with their
means Of ascertaining aud weighing the
actual facts, and with the fullest access to
every source OF official and authentic In
formation, the ISLANDERS 80 prejudicial to
the interests Of the District, so base In char
acter and go simple of refutation, should no
longer be allowed without rebuke to poison
the public mind and palter with the public
conscience.
During the past year, the first of the nd
ministiatiOn Of the present board, the com
miesioners have not failed In earnest and
unrtmitting devotion to the District
interests, and they are glad to know aud
proud to state that the results have been
advantageous in every material respect.
Much valuable legislation was procured at
the late session OF Congress, with the aid of
earnest and loyal friends in that body, and
more generous appropriations were made
for nearly all purposes than ever before.
Every department of the District govern
ment is In better form and doing more
efficient service, and the history of the yeai
has been one of uneXampled prosperity and
advancement to the material interests of
the District.
That in the making Of reforms, Of the
better enforcement Of the old and the form.
ulating OF new laws and regulations, some
points Of friction have been developed, Il
not denied. Such are inevitable, but the
general law. abiding character and good sense
Of the citizens Of the District will not fai
to distinguish between the earnest effort to
advance their interests and the destructive
tendencies of agitators, who seek only no.
teriety and the futhering Of selfish and cor
rupt purposes. The commissioners look
forward to magnificent future for the Dis
trict OF Columbia, and desire only so long
as their personal responsibility shall con-
tinue to be connected with whatever shall
prove TO have been advantageous in its
history.
Capt. symons's report to the commits
sicneis is as follows:
OFFICE OF THE ENGINEER COMMISSIONER
WASHINGTON. ID. C.-C0L. WM. LUDLOW, Engl
neer CommissiOner-Sir. In accordance with
| your Instructions, have prepared the follow.
| ing statement with reference to the published
allegations touching the past administration
| OF the water Department.:
In the absence of a filed statement of these
the only answer that can be made is to tht
newspaper articles that have appeared. To
| take the charges in their order: First. That a
mistake was made In locating the distributing
| reservoirs; that 1t should have been located on
the "heighis above Tenleytown which would
the capitol" Il this was mistake il was the
mistake OF the Creator who only gave sutii.
| cient elevation TO the waters OF the Potomac
hDONe tTeul Ihlh 10 tuhDle tneIn 10 De DrOuyn
by gravity to the city at the elevation OF thu
distributing reservoir, viz, LAG feet above tide
Either this must be changed or the water sup
ply OF the city, some thirty millions Of gallons
daily, will be pumped TO u height Of $50 fee
and made to overcome the vertical dilferenc,
| In elevation between the distributing Reservoirs
| AID the heights above Tenleytown, which art
abont AGO feet above tide. This would cost b.
tween $4,000 and el50,00J per year, beside
the frt cost OF pumping plant, with annual
charges for Interest aud depreciation.
| Second The statements In regard TO Senate
| MoIgan's resolution of June "a, 1881 are mad,
| In such a manner as to give them the appear
| ance OF truth, while In fact they are merel,
| half truths told with intent to deceive Tn,
| inference Is that the resolution only called to-
statements as to the receipts and di,bur. clnent,
| Of the water department, and that the answe
to very simple request was unnecessarily do
| lGyCd.
| The truth of the matter Is that the resolution
L In nnns iinn Nna of Il mnnl mnrn nnnl nrI hnn